Snap lock coaxial connector

ABSTRACT

This invention is for a quick connect and disconnect coaxial coupling. The connector plug portion has a split outer shell latch type of coupling that allows for locking upon direct engagement, and releases when two tabs are pressed inwardly. The connector also has a new method of contact captivation comprising contacts having barbs that allow for easy insertion into a resilient insulation material and tend to retain their axial position when subjected to an axial withdrawal force.

States Patent [151 3,694,793

Conceiman [45] Sept. 26, 1972 [5 SNAP LOCK COAXIAL CONNECTOR 3,125,3953/ 1964 Swanson ..339/176 72 Inventor: Carl w Concelman, Wilmington3,390,374 6/1968 Forney ..339/177 Mass. Primary Examiner-Stephen J.Novosad [73] Asslgnee: International Telephone and Tele- Asst-Stan,Examine, awrence J. Staab graph corpwauoniNvutley, Attorney-C. CornellRemsen, .Ir., Walter J. Baum, [22] Filed; 18, 1969 Paul W. Hemminger,Percy P. Lantzy, Philip M. B01- ton, Isidore Togut and Charles L.Johnson, Jr. [21] Appl. No.: 850,800

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl ..339/91 P, 339/177 R This invention is for aquick Connect and disconnect [51] Int. Cl. ..H0lr 13/54, HOlr 17/04coaxial coupling The connector plug portion has a [58] meld of Search 759 split outer shell latch type of coupling that allows for 339/74 255285/317 320 locking upon direct engagement, and releases when two tabsare pressed inwardly. The connector also has [56] References cued a newmethod of contact captivation comprising con- UNITED STATES PATENTStacts having barbs that allow for easy insertion into a resilientinsulation material and tend to retain their 2296'054 9/1942 Rfibezzana"339/91 P axial position when subjected to an axial withdrawal 1,552,3469/1925 Riley ..339/182 2,518,464 8/1950 Guillemin ..339/91 2,877,437 3/1959 Flanagan ..339/91 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 0 4a r 25 I5 l3 SNAPLOCK COAXIAL CONNECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Separable coaxialconnectors have long been known to the art. Most of these connectors aremated together by insertion of one into the other and are then retainedtogether by means of threaded members. In some cases quick connect anddisconnect connectors have been devised but they are generally expensiveand required many additional parts. Also a problem with coaxialconnectors has been that the conductors are somewhat easily pulled outof the dielectric member from the rear of the connector. Means as pinshave been used heretofore but are not always satisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide aquick connect and disconnect coaxial connector that is inexpensive andrequires few additional parts.

It is another object of this invention to provide a coaxial connectorwherein the inner conductor is securely captivated within thedielectric.

A feature of this invention is a coaxial coupling having inner and outerconductors and a dielectric member spacing these conductors apart. Theouter conductor of one coupling member of the coaxial coupling isprovided with a latching arrangement which is fixed and not movable. Theother coupling member is provided with a split bushing which pivotsabout a pivot shoulder on the outer conductor of that member and the endof this split bushing has a latching member which engages the fixedlatching member of the other coupling member upon insertion of thesecond coupling member into the first. In order to release and separatethe members the split bushing is provided at the free end with a tabwhich, upon both tabs being pressed down, releases the latch.

Another feature of this invention is that each of the inner conductorshas a barb-like shape at the rear end, which, when the inner conductorof the cable attached thereto is inserted into the dielectric member andpushed forward, will enter into a cavity of the dielectric member whichis resilient, the shape of the cavity corresponding to the shape of thebarb so that when the barb is pushed inwardly and enters the cavity itcannot be retracted and is securely captivated therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features of this invention willbecome apparent from the description that follows taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view illustrating the coupling connector ofthis invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the split shell latch of this invention; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the split shell latch of thisinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to FIG. 1, there isshown a coaxial plug 1 and a coaxial jack 2 in mated position. The plug1 comprises an inner conductor 3 and a dielectric member 4 spacing theinner conductor 3 from the outer conductors 5 and 6. The inner conductor3 has at the left extremity slotted members or fingers 6 to providesliding and resilient contact with the mating member 7 of the jack innerconductor. The opposite extremity of the inner conductor 3 has a coaxialhole 10 to accommodate the inner conductor of a coaxial cable (notshown). There is provided a radial hole 1 l to solder the cable innerconductor securely in the axial hole 10. The plug inner conductor 3 isshaped at this end in the form of a barb l2 and the plug dielectricmember 4 has a cavity 13 adapted to accommodate the barb 12 therein. Asshown the barb 12 is of a frusto-conical shape with a convexly shapedsurface and comprises a small diameter portion 15 at one end and atapering outward to a large diameter portion 16. Although the conesurface is shown convex, it may be flat. The opening 17 of dielectric 4is large enough to admit the entry of barb l2 and as the barb is pushedfarther into the dielectric, which is resilient, the increasing diameterof the barb forces the dielectric outward until the barb is completelywithin the cavity 13 and captivated therein. It can be seen that anyaxial pull on the inner conductor 3 will not free the barb 12 from thecavity 13 without, of course, damage to the dielectric. A suitableresilient dielectric material is Teflon, although other resilientdielectrics may be used.

The outer conductor 5 is spun over the outer conductor 6 at thechamfered portion 20 to form, in effect, an outer conductor assembly forthe plug 1. The free end 21 comprises a plurality of slotted fingerswhich will make resilient contact with a corresponding part of the outerconductor of the jack 2. At a suitable point along the length of theouter conductor 5 there is located a pivot shoulder 25 with a roundedperimeter; essentially this is an annular ring surrounding thev outerconductor 5.

A split shell latch surrounds the outer conductor assembly 5 and 6 witha space between two parts along the axis of the connector as shown inFIG. 2. Each half of the split shell latch has a tab 31 at one end and alatching member 32 at the other end. The split shell latch is pivotedabout the pivot shoulder 25 by means of the cavity 33 which has a largerradius than the radius of the rounded portion of the pivot shoulder 25,as can be seen in FIG. 1, to allow the pivot movement to proceed freely.The two parts of split shell latch 30 are held together about the outerconductor and on the pivot shoulder by a wire ring 34 disposed inannular groove 35 in the split shell latch. A space 36 is provided forbetween the bottom surface of the tab 31 and the surface 37 of outerconductor 5 to allow for vertical movement of the tab 31 when it isdesired to press down the tab to unlatch the two coupling members.

Turning now to jack 2 there is shown the inner conductor 40 which hasthe protruding portion 7 that mates with the resilient fingers of theinner conductor 3 of the plug member 1. Similarly to the rearconfiguration of inner conductor 3, inner conductor 40 has the axialhole 10' to accommodate the inner conductor of a coaxial cable and thesolder hole 11. It also has the barb shaped portion 41 which is similarto the barb 12 of plug 1. Dielectric member 42 is constructed insubstantially similar fashion to dielectric member 4 with a cavity toaccommodate the barb 41. The outer conductor consists of a latchingportion 45 and a rear portion 46 which are coupled together by means ofa panel mounting 47 which is spun over at the chamfered end 48 to retainall three parts together. The outer conductor member 45 has an endportion 50 which is shaped in the form of a latch to receive and retainthe mating latch member 32 of the split shell latch 30. Latch portion 50is the part of the outer conductor which engages resiliently with theslotted fingers 21 of outer conductor of plug 1. Jack 2 is shown with apanel mounting member 47 but it is understood that it may also be in theform of a coupling which does not have to be fastened to a panel orother mounting member.

It can be seen that when the plug is inserted into jack 2 that the innerconductor members 3 and 40 will mate as will the outer conductor members50 and 21. As the edge 55 of latching portion 32 of the split shelllatch slides over the surface 56 of the outer conductor 45 the splitshell latch pivots about pivot shoulder 25 with the tab 31 movingradially downward until the latch portion 60 of latch 32 slides over thecorresponding portion of latch 56 and is retained therein by virtue ofthe pressure of ring 34.

In the coaxial connector art it is important that the diameters of theinner conductor and outer conductor remain constant to avoid impedancemismatch and retarding waves. However, it may be unavoidable in somedesigns; therefore steps and diameter changes are made in the outerconductor and dielectric to compensate for impedance mismatch due tochanges in diameter of inner conductor. This is shown in the plug andjack at 60, 61, 62 and 63. Spaces 60 and 62 are also provided to allowexpansion of the dielectric when the barb is forced in.

I claim:

l. A coaxial connector comprising:

first and second coupling members each having an inner conductor, anouter conductor and dielectric means spacing said inner conductor fromsaid outer conductor; and

latching means on the outer conductor of said second member and latchingmeans pivoted on the outer conductor of said first member cooperatingwith the latching means on the outer conductor of said second member tocouple said first and second members together;

said outer conductor of said first member comprising an annular shoulderdisposed about the periphery of said outer conductor and said latchingmeans of said first member comprising a split shell latch pivoted onsaid annular ring, and a wire ring holding said split shell latching inposition.

2. A coaxial connector according to claim 1, wherein said split shelllatch comprises for each part thereof a substantially semi-circularmember having a latch at one end, a tab at the other end, an annulargroove inside between said ends adapted to seat on said annular shoulderand pivot thereon, and an annular groove on the outside of said partadapted to receive said wire ring.

3. A coaxial connector according to claim 2 wherein said latching meanson the outer conductor of said second member comprises at the inner endthereof means adapted to receive and retain in place upon said latchingmember the latch of said split shell latch member.

1. A coaxial connector comprising: first and second coupling memberseach having an inner conductor, an outer conductor and dielectric meansspacing said inner conductor from said outer conductor; and latchingmeans on the outer conductor of said second member and latching meanspivoted on the outer conductor of said first member cooperating with thelatching means on the outer conductor of said second member to couplesaid first and second members together; said outer conductor of saidfirst member comprising an annular shoulder disposed about the peripheryof said outer conductor and said latching means of said first membercomprising a split shell latch pivoted on said annular ring, and a wirering holding said split shell latching in position.
 2. A coaxialconnector according to claim 1, wherein said split shell latch comprisesfor each part thereof a substantially semi-circular member having alatch at one end, a tab at the other end, an annular groove insidebetween said ends adapted to seat on said annular shoulder and pivotthereon, and an annular groove on the outside of said part adapted toreceive said wire ring.
 3. A coaxial connector according to claim 2wherein said latching means on the outer conductor of said second membercomprises at the inner end thereof means adapted to receive and retainin place upon said latching member the latch of said split shell latchmember.